How to go from Nepal to Tibet

Going from Nepal to Tibet can seem extremely difficult. In reality, it is quite easy! Read this post for clear information on how to travel from Nepal to Tibet. Still have questions? Email me at: thelandofsnows@gmail.com

Overlooking one of the Buddhist monasteries near Boudha Stupa in Nepal

For a recommendation on a reputable and affordable travel agency to use in Tibet, send me an email at: thelandofsnows@gmail.com

How to go from Nepal to Tibet

Unfortunately, Tibet has a reputation as being an extremely difficult place to get to. Much of this is because of inaccurate information that is listed on overseas travel websites and on personal travel blogs. In reality, getting to Tibet is not difficult at all. In this post I will explain in detail how to travel from Nepal to Tibet. If you still have questions after reading this, feel free to email me at: thelandofsnows@gmail.com

Patan Durbar Square located in Lalitpur, Nepal

Some Hindu Sadhu’s at Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu

Travel from Nepal to Tibet

The travel regulations when going from Nepal to Tibet are different than the regulations when going to Tibet from China. For information on going to Tibet from China, please go to the following post of mine: How to go from China to Tibet

Regardless if you go to Tibet from Nepal or from Mainland China, all foreign travelers MUST be on an organized tour that only a travel agency (preferably one in Tibet) can arrange for you. There are no exceptions. All foreign travelers to Tibet must have travel permits, a tour guide, a private vehicle and a driver. Contrary to popular belief, group travel to Tibet is not required. You are free to visit Tibet as a solo traveler as long as you are part of an organized tour. However, many budget travelers will find the costs of traveling to Tibet quite high and will join a group tour in order to afford to travel there.

Nepal to Tibet Overland

There are 2 ways to get to Tibet from Nepal. The first is to travel overland from Kathmandu to Tibet. From Kathmandu, the Tibet border is about 115 kilometers north along the Araniko Highway, which connects Kathmandu to the border town of Kodari. Kodari is the last town on the Nepal side. From Kodari, the Tibet (China) border is just a couple hundred meters away. There are daily buses from Kathmandu to Kodari or you can have a travel agency in Kathmandu arrange a private vehicle to take you along this scenic road.

You will not be able to cross from Nepal into Tibet without an organized tour, which I will explain how to arrange later in this post. With your organized tour, you can then cross into Tibet, go through Chinese Customs and then meet your required tour guide, private vehicle and driver. From there, you can continue overland through Tibet to places like Everest Base Camp, Mt. Kailash, Shigatse, Lhasa and anywhere else in Tibet. Again, you will not be able to enter Tibet from Nepal without an organized tour from a travel agency, which needs to be arranged well in advance.

NOTE: Nepal Tibet Border Crossing Update: Due to the April 2015 Nepal Earthquake, the overland border crossing from Nepal to Tibet (and vice versa) is CLOSED to all foreign travelers. The new border point will be in Kyirong, Tibet, but it is impossible to say when this will reopen. I expect it to be closed until spring or summer 2017. Check the following link for more information: Nepal-Tibet border closed.

Himalaya Mountains viewed from the sky

Guge Kingdom in western Tibet

Flying to Tibet from Nepal

The other option of going from Nepal to Tibet is to fly. There are weekly direct flights from Kathmandu to the Tibetan capital of Lhasa. The flight is just over an hour long. During the summer months (May through early October) there are usually daily flights between these two cities. During the low season, there are 2 or 3 weekly flights from Kathmandu to Lhasa. You will not be permitted to board any flights from Kathmandu to Lhasa without proving that you have an organized tour arranged for Tibet. Once you arrive at the Lhasa airport, your required guide, private vehicle and driver will meet you. You will then begin your travels in Tibet according to the travel itinerary that you arranged in advance with the travel agency you are working with in Tibet.

Along the Yarlung Tsangpo River in central Tibet

North Face Base Camp of Mt. Everest in Tibet

Group Chinese Visa

The big difference when going from Nepal to Tibet compared to going from Mainland China to Tibet is the type of Chinese visa needed. When you go from Mainland China to Tibet, all you need is a normal Chinese Tourist Visa, which can be obtained from the Chinese Embassy/Consulate in your home country or at most Chinese consulates across the globe. However, when going from Nepal to Tibet, you MUST have a Group Chinese Tourist Visa, which can only be obtained from the Chinese Embassy in Kathmandu. If you arrive in Nepal with a Chinese Tourist Visa (or other type of Chinese visa) already in your passport, you will not be able to use it and you will not be refunded the cost of this visa, which is now useless.

A travel agency in Lhasa will have to assist you in getting the Group Chinese Visa. They will write you an official Chinese Visa invitation letter, which will state all of the details listed in your passport along with your travel route in Tibet and the dates you will be in Tibet. The travel agency in Lhasa will then forward this letter to their partners in Kathmandu who will assist you in submitting it to the Chinese Embassy in Kathmandu. The Group Chinese Visa in Kathmandu normally takes 2 or 3 business days to obtain. Be advised that the Chinese Embassy in Kathmandu does not process visa applications on weekends, during Chinese holidays or during most Nepalese holidays.

Unlike a standard Chinese Tourist Visa, which is placed inside your passport, the Group Chinese Tourist Visa is NOT in your passport. It is a full-sized piece of paper that lists your full name, birthdate, gender, profession, nationality and passport number. It also states how long your visa is valid for and how long you can stay in Tibet and China. The Group Chinese Visa will always be valid for the duration of your pre-arranged journey to Tibet. Normally the Group Chinese Visa will be valid for at least 28 days, though if you are taking a longer journey in Tibet, say 45 days for example, your Group Chinese Visa will be valid for the entire duration of your time in Tibet with at least another week for you to go to Mainland China and depart the country.

It is important to know that Group Chinese Visa’s can be issued to solo travelers. They are called “Group” visa’s, but for the past several years the Chinese Embassy in Kathmandu has issued these group visa’s to solo travelers as well. Contrary to popular belief and contrary to many of the reports on the internet, you do not need to be in a group in order to travel from Nepal to Tibet. So, whether you are traveling with a small group, large group or traveling solo, you can easily have a travel agency in Lhasa arrange the required documents for you to obtain the Group Chinese Tourist Visa in Kathmandu.

Inconveniences with a Group Chinese Visa

There are a couple of nuisances with the Group Chinese Visa. The first is that this type of visa cannot be extended in China. A normal Chinese Tourist Visa can be extended at least once (and sometimes twice) in China, but the Group Chinese Visa cannot be extended. When you first begin to contact a travel agency in Tibet to arrange your journey, be sure to tell the agency if you plan to spend a couple of weeks or more traveling in Mainland China after your time in Tibet. That way they can make sure to write on the visa invitation letter that you be given a 28 or 35 day Group Chinese Visa.

The second nuisance is that if you are traveling with a group of people from Nepal to Tibet and then on to Mainland China, each of you MUST depart China from the same port, on the same day, at the same exact time. This is because the Group Chinese Visa is not in your passport, but is on a full-sized piece of paper. This means that all of you will have to exit through the same Chinese customs together at the same exact time. This can cause MAJOR problems if you use a budget travel agency and they place a group of strangers together who all plan to exit China from different ports (ie. some leaving from Beijing, others leaving to Hong Kong and others leaving from Shanghai, etc). So again, Group Chinese Visa’s cannot be extended and if you are traveling with a group, all of you MUST exit China together at the same place and time.

Mindroling Monastery in the Yarlung Valley east of Lhasa

Barkhor Square in Lhasa

Travel to Tibet must be arranged in advance

All travel to Tibet, whether from Nepal to Tibet or Mainland China to Tibet, MUST be arranged in advance. As stated throughout my website, all foreign travelers must be on an organized tour in order to go to Tibet. This organized tour includes travel permits, a tour guide, a private vehicle and a driver…no exceptions. Arranging this tour is actually extremely easy to do. You have the complete freedom to design your own travel route in Tibet. Itineraries listed on travel agency websites are merely suggestions. If you don’t see the specific route you are wanting to travel, no problem! Simply customize your own travel route and tell the agency you are using that you wish to follow your own route.

Travel permits for Tibet take a minimum of 14 days to arrange for most of Tibet. Travel permits for Western Tibet and Mt. Kailash take longer…about 4 weeks to arrange. You will want to begin contacting a travel agency in Tibet at least 1 month before you plan to arrive to Tibet. If you plan to go to the Kailash region of western Tibet, contact a travel agency at least 6 weeks in advance. This will give you enough time to finalize your travel route and for the travel agency you use in Tibet to arrange your travel permits and to send the visa invitation letter to their partners in Kathmandu so they can submit it for your Group Chinese Visa.

For more information about tours to Tibet, send an email to: thelandofsnows@gmail.com

Sunrise at Guge in Western Tibet

Summary of How to go from Nepal to Tibet

Here is a quick summary of how to go from Nepal to Tibet:

Traveling from Nepal to Tibet is not difficult

All travelers going to Tibet MUST be on an organized tour

Only a travel agency can arrange an organized tour for you

The 2 ways to get from Nepal to Tibet are by overland journey or by flight (NOTE: Currently the overland route from Nepal to Tibet is closed to to natural disasters)

To go from Nepal to Tibet, you must have a Group Chinese Visa

Group Chinese Visa’s can only be obtained with the help of a travel agency

Group Chinese Visa’s for Tibet can only be issued from the Chinese Embassy in Nepal

Group Chinese Visa’s can be issued to solo travelers who are on an organized tour

Group Chinese Visa’s cannot be extended

Everyone traveling on the same Group Chinese Visa must exit the country together

Contact a travel agency at least 1 month before you plan to go to Tibet

***This post is ONLY for those who are going from Nepal to Tibet. Going from Mainland China to Tibet is easier and the regulations are different than the regulations going from Nepal to Tibet. For information on how to go from China to Tibet, please read the following link: How to go from China to Tibet. If you have any travel questions on Tibet or other regions of the Himalaya, feel free to email me at: thelandofsnows@gmail.com

hi, thanks for a very helpful website!! its clear and easy…. it seems:) However I am trying to find out how much the flight would be from KTM to Lhasa for Oct 2016 and its already cost like 400 EUR??? it is very expensive for such a short flight, so I wondering to ask you it is normal? book a ticket 8 months advaance and still so high amount? guess it only will go higher and higher by the time, right? Thanks in advance!!

Thanks for this great and informative post! Is there any news about the boarder crossing? Is the overland crossing still closed and if so, where can I find information about its possible re-opening? Thanks a lot in advance! Nic

Hi , My friends and I would like to travel Kathmandu to Lhasa with a tour to Everest base camp after June/July.. we are a group of 8-10 people. can you give us the costing for 3-4 star hotels and tours (we are from India)

Hi there,
Wanting to motorcycle the Friendship Highway from Kathmandu to Tibet. There will be 2 in our party how exactly do we get a group tour pass for entering Tibet and will we be able to drive our motorcycle or have to park it the boarder?

i have exactly same question for you . can i bring motorcycle to lhasa and go back as i came by road trip i lived in india. can you guide me. what kind of permit and paper work required for road trip.
kindly help me
thank you

Hello….Bringing motorcycles registered in India or Nepal into Tibet is possible, but is very difficult and very expensive to arrange. You will need many permits to bring in a foreign vehicle to Tibet (including motorcycles) and will still need to be on an organized tour. This will be very expensive, but is possible to do. Currently, this cannot be done as the ONLY border crossing permitted for bringing in foreign vehicles into Tibet is from the main Nepal-Tibet overland border. This border is currently CLOSED due to the April 2015 Nepal Earthquake. You will need to wait for this border to reopen. It is impossible to say when the main Tibet-Nepal overland border will reopen.

It might be cheaper for you to buy a motorcycle in Tibet and do this journey.

Fiona, as with travel everywhere in the world, the cost of a tour will depend on many things, such as:

1. How many people are traveling with you?
2. What class of hotel will you be staying at?
3. How many days do you plan to travel?
4. Which monasteries, temples, national parks, etc do you plan to see (all have high ticket costs).
5. Are you taking a private or group tour?

Without knowing this, it is hard to give a real answer. A small group tour will be your cheapest option and will cost between $1000 USD and $1250 USD per person. A private tour could cost as much as $6000 USD, depending on the length of your journey and the hotels you stay at.

Thomas….The border between Tibet and Nepal remains closed at this time. I emailed you a couple of excellent travel agencies in Lhasa to contact. If you have any other questions, email me at: thelandofsnows@gmail.com

Me and my friend are Syrian citizens living in Saudi Arabia. We’re planning to go to Nepal and from there to Tibet. All we need would be to apply for the Chinese group visa from Kathmandu? And by the way, Is the “Chinese Group Visa” another term for the Tibet travel permit? No need to apply for the Chinese visit visa from where we live?

In Tibet all foreigners MUST use a private vehicle the entire time they are in Tibet. You cannot use taxi’s or travel by motorbike, unless you specifically join a motorcycle tour. You also will not be able to visit schools due to strict government policies.

Sounds like you are looking at the wrong websites! There are 4 flights per week that fly between Lhasa and Kathmandu. The flight takes about 75 minutes. Both AirChina and Sichuan Airlines make this flight every week.

Hi we two are planning tour of Nepal Tibet and main land China. We enter Lhasa/ Tibet from Kathmandu by flight. We understand that if visit Tibet entering from Kathmandu we can’t apply China visa from my home county, we should contact local travel company of Kathmandu or Lhasa and they apply for our Tibet permit and China group visa. Our question: is that China group visa also work to enter main land china or we need to again apply for China visa once we reach in Lhasa? We very much appreciate if you answer my query. Our plan is after visit Lhasa/ Tibet going to Beijing. Awaiting to your help.

A Group China Visa is valid for ALL regions of China and not just Tibet. When going to Tibet from Nepal, travelers MUST get their China visa from the China Embassy in Kathmandu. If you arrive with a China visa already in your passport, you will NOT be able to use it and will not be refunded for the useless visa. Enjoy your journey!

Hi Lobsang!
Your post is great and has all the information I was looking for!
thanks for that 🙂

I have a question:
We are a couple travelling for a month to Nepal and Tibet. We want to do the Annapurna and then fly from Kathmandu to Lhasa for a week in Tibet.
I understand from your post we can arrange a tour in an agency in Nepal, but then we won’t have a 1 month advance for the group Chinese visa.
What can we do?

A Group China Visa only takes 2 or 3 business days to arrange….not a month. You will want to contact a Tibet-based, Tibetan-owned travel agency a month in advance by email. That way you will have plenty of time to have all arrangements made for you to go to Tibet. Relax….getting to Tibet from Nepal is very easy.

Hello….The overland border between Nepal and Tibet remains CLOSED at this time. I expect it will remain closed a further 6 to 12 months. The only way to currently go from Nepal to Tibet is to fly. There are 4 direct flights per week from Kathmandu to Lhasa.

It will not be possible for you to take a motorcycle from India directly to Tibet….impossible. You will need to go to Nepal and then go overland, however, the overland border from Nepal to Tibet is closed due to the April 2015 Nepal Earthquake. Bringing in your own motorcycle from India or Nepal to Tibet will be VERY expensive.

I intend to to drive to Kathmandu, then cross to Tibet through Kodari, Friendship Bridge.

Very expensive, but it is possible. Yes? So, solo drive is possible for an Indian in Tibet then.

What could be the possible expenses? I am aware the guide, the driver and so on. But solo trip in its true sense is what I look forward. With a backup we can even drive up to moon. No fun in it as you must be knowing.

Thank you for such an informative post! I am planning 6 months of travel and wanted to go to Tibet but was worried it would be too difficult….I’m glad to now know it’s not.

Could you provide some names of reputable travel agencies in Tibet who will help arrange our itinerary and group visa from Nepal?

We are two travellers, happy to go in a group, but would like the freedom to leave China on our own. We would like to spend 7-10 days in Tibet. Could you make a recommendation on itineraries (Where should we definitely go?) and what the price should be?

Yes, getting to Tibet is VERY easy, as long as you use a reputable travel agency.. I have emailed you some travel agencies to contact who can arrange the perfect Tibet journey for you. If you have more questions, email me at: thelandofsnows@gmail.com

Hi! Love your site! Hope you could help me on this. My mom and I would love to visit Tibet, Bhutan and Nepal next year. Im planning to fly from Chengdu China to Lhasa, then sight see around Tibet. I saw from your previous replies that the Nepal – Tibet border is still closed, and our only option is to fly. Would you know if next year sometime May or June, if the border will be open? I kinda want to do a roadtrip from Tibet to Bhutan then to Nepal and fly back home from Kathmandu. Can you also recommend local agencies that would accommodate us for small group tours? Would really appreciate your help. Thanks! – Tiffany, from Philippines

Hi Tiffany….It is impossible to say when the Tibet-Nepal border will reopen. It could be in a few months, it could be in a year or more. Impossible to say. I have emailed you further information to help you plan your journey to Tibet and Bhutan.

Hi, i plan to visit Tibet and Bhutan next year April. i am thinking ti spend around a month for this trip, maybe cycling in Tibet for 3 weeks.
I am a solo budget traveller, mayb i know is it sound ok to stay in Tibet for 3 weeks?
Thanks

Hello…both Tibet and Bhutan require foreign travelers to be on an organized tour through a local travel agency. The costs of traveling in Tibet are quite high compared to most of Asia. Tibet and Bhutan should certainly NOT be considered budget travel destinations. Cycling tours in Tibet can easily be arranged, but be advised that cycling journeys are some of the most expensive tours you can take in Tibet. If you are a budget traveler traveling solo, Tibet and Bhutan will almost certainly be way out of your travel budget. For more details, send me an email at: thelandofsnows@gmail.com

Hi Lobsang –
Great info on your page!
Question 1 – How many are considered a group? My boyfriend and I are planning a Nepal-Tibet trip June 2017, in by flight or overland if the border is open, and out on the train to Beijing. We don’t want to be tied to anyone else’s travel plans. Can 2 be considered a group?
Question 2 – Can you email some Lhasa travel companies?
Question 3 – We hope to include Bhutan as well. Any good companies we can arrange from Kathmandu as well?
Thanks so much!

Laura,
No group travel is required in Tibet. When going to Tibet from Nepal, all travelers have to get a “Group China Visa”, but these are issued to even solo travelers. It will be no problem for the 2 of you to get this visa. I have emailed you further info to help you plan your journey to Tibet and Nepal.

i was wonder if you could point me in the right direction for travel agents in Tibet for 2 girls travelling in September next year. We wanted to do the land crossing from Kathmandu and 5 days in Tibet. I’d love to know your- must do itinerary for that type of time frame.
Thanks

Hi Krista….sorry for the late reply. I have been at Mt Kailash in western Tibet. I have emailed you some info for your journey. I recommend the classic route from Lhasa to Everest Base camp….it’s a great route that allows you to see many of the key places in Tibet.

Greetings. I want to visit Everest Base Camp but I am not confident about my current physical state. So I Planned Following Nepal>Tibet>EBC>Nepal. I want to avoid going to Lhasa for tight schedule. Is it feasible? How much time will this plan take? Can I go upto real base camp or tourist base camp?

First off, the Tibet-Nepal overland border is not open. This means that the ONLY way to travel between Tibet and Nepal is to fly. Second, if the border does reopen soon, it is EXTREMELY risky going from low altitude Nepal to the Tibet-side Everest Base Camp as there are few towns along the way that allow you to take time to acclimatize. You run a HIGH risk of serious altitude illness or worse. It is much better to fly to Lhasa and spend a few nights there before and then travel overland to EBC taking a further 3 nights staying in places like Gyantse, Shigatse and Shelkar. Tibet can be safely visited if you take time to acclimatize. Being foolish and not taking time to acclimatize can certainly be you in risk of serious illness or even death.

Hi, thank you for the great article 🙂 my girlfriend and I are backpacking through India & Nepal, and hope to travel Overland to Beijing. What is the cheapest way to get across Tibet? We are US citizens.

Kevin….as the saying goes, “you get what you pay for”. Beware of ultra cheap journeys in Tibet as they are cheap for a reason! There are many reputable agencies in Lhasa that arrange high quality AND economical journeys. I have emailed you further info. Enjoy your journey!
Lobsang

Hi, thank you for your detailed information. I have a question about car rentals. I am a China citizen, and I plan to rent a vehicle in Tibet travel all the way to Nepal and back. So am I able to do that? Or do I still have to apply for something else? I have an international driving license.

Hello….Even Chinese citizens will need to obtain a border permit from the police station in Shigatse/Rikaze. An international drivers license is NOT valid in China. You MUST have a standard Chinese Drivers License that is Class C or higher. You will only be permitted to drive a vehicle inside Tibet. You will not be permitted to cross the border with a rented car into Nepal….no way!

Hi Lobsang,
Excellent website and very informative, thank you.
A couple of questions have been about motorcycles so I realise this is going to be expensive and not easy to arrange. I aim to be part of a group of about 10 people biking from Kuala Lumpur to London and we’re looking to cross from Nepal into Tibet (assuming the border is open in 2017/2018) and then run along west and up into Kyrgystan. Can you recommend a good travel agency in Lhasa who might be able to help us with that?
Many thanks

Toby…..As you know, it remains impossible to say when the Tibet-Nepal overland border crossing will reopen. No one expected it to be closed for as long as it has (closed nearly 20 months now to foreign travelers). It may reopen in 2017….hard to say.

I sent you some further info on cycling in Tibet. With a group of 10 it will be MUCH for affordable than if you were going just by yourself.